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I don't ski, I don't drink craft beer and I don't have a dog, but by golly I am a real Colorado native girl. So now you can still believe in unicorns! Here's my ode to motherhood, you know because all of us bloggers write like we were the first, only and last mama out there.

May 1 Mini Adventure: El Jebel Shriner Circus

Last Saturday we went to the El Jebel Shriner's Circus!
Sometimes events and things to come to you without you necessarily searching them out. At least that was the case for us, with this circus. We were at Dunkin' Donuts the morning of my birthday and we were sitting outside on the patio, waiting for Baba to come, (he originally wanted to surprise me at home with coffee and the sweetest cake with blow horns and a banner which I saw when I got home,) but we had already left for the day when he called so he met us. We were giving him hugs when a kind gentleman came up to me and handed me two tickets for the kiddos to this circus. We tucked them away and said we would take the girls.

On this drizzly, snowy Saturday we put on our jeans and rubber boots, festive tops and made our way up to Broomfield's 1st Bank Center to see the El Jebel Shriner Circus. I am still not sure of what the organization is about. Anybody? I have always seen the group and their tasseled hats at parades. The circus was, well, just, so so guys. Definitely not your Barnum & Bailey classic, more leaning towards the true historic beginnings of what a circus is built on... oddness... weirdness...

The ring leader was fabulous, with a booming voice on the mic, and his exaggerated intros were hilarious, "Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, get ready for the most TERRIFYING, BRAVE performance EVER!" However, where were the clowns?! This guy in the photos below was all we got...There was a live trio band below, a trumpet, keyboard and drums, but the transitions between acts were LONG, and boring. Too long for a two year old. Arlo did surprisingly well throughout the show and even with her teething! Remy was the antsy one. I really like the duo who did the tight rope, the large double wheel and the motor bike on the tight rope. The trapeze artists were nice too. I did not care one bit for the tiger or elephant acts.

The intermission was lengthy as well, and they had jumpy castles for the kids and rides on the elephant, but we were not going to pay $5 for her to jump for one minute and try to coax her out of there for the last half of the show. So we got some attitude and grief for skipping that. It was blown up in the corner taunting Remy and if you ask her today what her favorite part of the circus was, she'll answer, "The jumpy castle." She has been mentioning and requesting a jumpy castle daily for her upcoming birthday party.

Actually, my FAVORITE act was the Chicago Boyz gymnasts at the end! GREAT tumbling, and fun music and too bad the energy of the audience wasn't really quite where it should have been for them. Hubby's favorite act was probably Irina the hoola hooper in the beginning who was wearing what looked to be an ice skating costume for Fire Bird. Imagine a sheer unitard with glittery heels and red and orate tail feathers at the middle of the tush and the front. He turned to me and said, "Babe... I think she's not wearing any clothes..." Haha! This was true!

We went at 11 am and it didn't let out until nearly 2. We were all pretty "hungry," at that point. The $10 cotton candy we had three bites of wasn't cutting it. We had cheeseburgers at Wendy's on the way home.

It was a fun and memorable morning, reflecting on the show now, but I don't think I would pay for two adult tickets again as we had, but it was an experience! Thanks for the kiddo tickets kind stranger! Without that kindness, we would not have had such an adventurous and quirky Saturday morning, at least not with the Shriners!